On 27nd October 2007 humans had a date with the forest. One Voice, with the participation of the Kalaweit, Ikamaperu and Friends of the Earth associations had launched an appeal which was heard by 400 people who came to Locronan to celebrate, sing and honour all the forests of the world through the Névet oak tree. This occasion was intended to remind humans of the dangers they are causing in destroying forests, which are an essential source of life on Earth.
”Live simply that others may simply live!” Gandhi had understood and said everything in these few words, which were recalled by Marité Morales, vice-president of OV and the initiator of this project in her speech to the 400 people who had heard the call “For living forests”. United under a big tent in the town of Locronan, children from the commune’s two public and private schools launched this event by reading a poem they had written themselves. "When vast surfaces are ravaged with napalm, there is no fauna or flora, no more life…". In two-line stanzas they provided the long list of damage caused by man to the planet’s forests, notably those in Asia and Latin America.
Planting a tree, “the Névet oak”
Echoing these apt and relevant words from the children, a tree was then planted from the sacred Névet forest, an oak, the symbol of rebirth for the forests. To the sound of the Celtic harp of the musician Salomon and the songs of Albertina Nanchijam Tuwits, a native of the Auguarunas community in South America, each of the children placed a stone at the foot of the tree, creating the start of a cairn on which residents and tourists who visit the region all year round can also come and place a symbol of their commitment to keeping forests alive.
Hearing all the mistreated voices of the forest
As those present were reminded by Albertina Nanchijam Tuwits, who had come to bear witness and have us hear “all the mistreated voices of the forest”, when man destroys the forest it is not just the trees that suffer, but the whole ecosystem which is damaged, including the people who had been living in harmony with it until the arrival of colonists thirsty for money. She left all those who had listened to her attentively and with interest with something to think about: "Do not buy tropical wood stolen from our territories. Do not buy animals hunted in our forests, nor their lives, their meat or their skins. Help fair trade with the native peoples of the Amazon so that they can live from the forest, without destroying it, as they have always done". Her words were illustrated with images of the Orangs rimbas people. These very moving images showed this people who are hunted and killed by forestry companies who take their lands from them to strip them of their forests.
Changing behaviour
Only a change in behaviour will enable us to prevent the disaster that is taking place before our eyes. This means adopting a lifestyle that helps to preserve forests". We must ask ourselves questions at every point in our living and consumption behaviour, challenge our behaviour in a healthy way, dare to change before our own social groups, protest against the unbearable, examine labels, look at where products come from, rationalise our consumption needs, and so on", as Brigitte Mercier, director of One Voice specified.
Educating future generations
We can also do this by educating future generations to respect the whole planet. "Like the tree, we must stand to face our responsibilities before children… but above all, let us become the solid models they need. It is not through our words that we educate but by the example we set", emphasised Brigitte Mercier. The highly attentive audience were also very receptive and ready to make a greater commitment to forests.
The future… depends on each of us
This is very encouraging as the future of the forests now depends on each of us, according to Silas Kpanan’Ayoung Siakor, Winner of the Goldman Prize for the Environment (Africa, 2006) and director of the Sustainable Development Institute (Liberia). Present in spirit, he supported this idea in the message he sent "It is now perfectly clear to me that if we want to save our planet ordinary people like you and me must take command in the struggle of human kind against climate change. It is up to us to promote small gestures such as planting trees or fighting the illegal use of wood: it is the only way to save the planet".
A real success
This operation, which was relayed in nine other towns by One Voice and Friends of the Earth teams was a real success and generated massive interest everywhere. We can be sure, if we have understood Silas Kpanan’Ayoung correctly, that this “collective work serves as an example that that it is a source of inspiration for the rest of human kind!" A human kind who is reconciled with nature and, like the Celts, is aware of the need to preserve the fragile balance of the interdependency of things and beings.
“It is vital to protect animals’ territory if we want to avoid them ending up in laboratories, circuses or zoos. […] With Tree of Life, One Voice is placing the first stone in a unitary combat for the planet, humans and animals. These problems cannot be separated. We will fight on this front". Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice
Access videos :
Clip 1 : Pourquoi Locronan voir la vidéo
Clip 2 : Le bilan de la déforestation voir la vidéo
Clip 3 : Réagir voir la vidéo
